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Sunday, March 08, 2009

Shutout seals regular season Hockey East title for BU

For six Terrier seniors, there was a déjà vu feeling to their 3-0 winover Providence College that provided the two points the pushed BU past Northeastern and made the Terriers regular season champions. Just as they reached first place on the final day of the current season, three years ago as freshman, they were part of the Terrier squad that beat the Huskies 5-3 in the regular season finale while BC lost to New Hampshire, 5-2. BU squeaked past the Eagles to finish atop the conferencefor the first time since 1999-00.

BU’s unbeaten streakis now at 16 games (13-0-3). The 2005-06 squad also reached the conference playoffs on a hot streak, 14-1-3.

BU scored once in each period against Providence, with goals scored by Luke Popko, Vinny Saponariand Chris Higgins. Freshman Grant Rollheiser stopped 16 Friar shots en route to his first shutout and the Terriers’ third of the year.

The Terriers, top seed in the Hockey East playoffs, meet Maine next weekend in a best of three series at Agganis Arena., with games Friday, Saturday and, if necessary, Sunday. Full conference playoff pairings are listed here.

►The six seniors--Matt Gilroy, Chris Higgins, Jason Lawrence, John McCarthy, Steve Smolinsky and Brandon Yip--were recognized along with their parents in a post-game on-ice ceremony to the cheeers of Terrier fans. Team manager Amanda Gibson also was honored and the names of the senior members of BU’s Pep Band were flashed on the Agganis Arena scoreboard.

►Senior Steve Smolinsky assisted on Popko's goal for his first point of the season.

►Freshman center Corey Trivino’s assist on Saponari’s goal was his tenth point of the season, making him the 15th Terrier to reach double-figures in points.

► Since losing a weekend series to Vermont in November, the Terriers have a 20-1-4 record. The win was BU’s 27th (27-5-4), most in the regular season since 1997-98.

► Hockey East Director of Officials Dick DeCaprio, a former BU teammate of Coach Jack Parker, presented the Hockey East regular season trophy to the Terriers. DeCaprio also coaches Arlington High School.